A FAMILY today spoke of their hope that a man who vanished 15 years ago will still return home.

Edwin Parkes was last seen leaving his home in St Helens for a routine hospital appointment on January 9, 1991.

Today his mother Ada and sister Margaret Harmer renewed their appeals for information.

Mrs Harmer, 55, said: "As the years have gone by it has got harder and harder formy mum.

"All we have is hope that he is still out there and will one day return home or someone who knows him will get in touch and let us know that he is OK.

"Mum is now 91 and she is getting more and more frail.

"Each day she looks at a picture of Eddie and closes her eyes for moment, wishing that he were with her."

Mr Parkes, a farm labourer, had been suffering from depression in the weeks leading up to his disappearance. The death of his father and the break-up of a relationship with his then fiancee had hit him hard.

Now aged 57, Mr Parkes walked out of the house with no money and no change of clothes and has not been seen or heard of since.

Over the years the family has made several attempts to trace him, including an appeal for information in the Big Issue magazine.

Now Mr Parkes's picture is appearing on thousands of milk cartons sold by supermarket Iceland.

Mrs Parkes, who had two sets of twins but now only has Margaret left, said: "I want him to come home.

"Every time they find a body the police come to our door and Ihaveto go through this anxious wait until they tell me it wasn't him after all.

"I'll only be happy when he is back with me and Margaret."

Anyone with information about Edwin Parkes should call the confidential National Missing Persons Helpline on Freephone 0500 700 700.